There are indications the mad scramble for the second and last outright quarterfinals berth in the Gran Matador PBA Fiesta Conference won’t be settled at the end of the double-round preliminaries today and tomorrow.
Talk n Text seized the solo second place after a closing three-game romp but three teams in Red Bull Barako, Alaska Milk and Coca-Cola could force a tie after the weekend battles at the Philsports Arena today and at the Araneta Coliseum tomorrow.
Thus, chances are a playoff game on Wednesday will decide which team will join San Miguel Beer in earning outright berths into the quarters.
Alaska will try to catch Talk n Text at second place in the Aces’ 6:30 p.m. tiff with the Barangay Ginebra Kings today. Coca-Cola and Red Bull Barako take their turns versus Shell and San Miguel Beer, respectively, in the closing twinbill of the prelims tomorrow.
Talk n Text will be rooting for the rivals of Alaska, Red Bull and Coca-Cola since in the event of ties, the Phones Pals would be eased out of the playoff for the coveted slot because of an inferior quotient.
In a logjam among the four teams, Alaska and Red Bull knock it out for No. 2 while Coca-Cola and Talk n Text will clash for No. 4 slot. This is on the strength of the Aces’ plus-32 point-differential, the Thunder’s plus-10, the Tigers’ minus-18 and the Phone Pals’ minus-24.
The Phone Pals could have the No. 2 slot in a silver platter if the Aces, the Thunder and the Tigers all lose their final assignments.
In today’s other game pitting Purefoods and FedEx, it’s a fight for a flight out of the cellar since the two teams sport identical 4-13 win-loss records entering their 4:10 p.m. setto.
For Ginebra and Shell, what is at stake in their games against Alaska and Coca-Cola is a better seeding in the two one-game knockout tussles in the wildcard plays. The two teams are currently tied at seventh with the identical 7-10 cards, half-game behind Sta. Lucia Realty at 8-10.
It will be the No. 5 team versus No. 8 and No. 6 against No. 7 in the post-prelims matches.
Fresh from a weeklong rest and riding the crest of a big blowout of the Tigers the last time out, the Aces are fancied to beat the Kings who are on a two-game slump minus injured Romel Adducul.